Ignition coil for motor vehicles



Oct. 19 1926.

T. J. COWAN IGNITION con, FOR- mo'ron VEHICLES Original F iled Jan. 27.1923 THOMAS JAMES COWAN, OF WEST BRIGHTDN, NEW YORK.

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Application filed January 27, 1923, Serial No. 615,270. Renewed August4,1926.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:To render the coils inoperative at will; to provide keyoperated meansfor placing the coil in and out of commission; and to provide akeyoperated lock for retaining the coil casing in service position.

Drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fragment of an automobile body partlycut away in section to show the installation on the instrument bodythereof of an ignition coil, constructed and arranged in accordance withthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of an ignition coil, constructed andarranged in accordance with "the present invention, the section being onenlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the same, the section being taken on theline 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the same, the section being taken on theline 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the relation of the lock controlswitch and elemerits of the ignition system employed in conjunctiontherewith.

Description.

ure 5, the distributor is designated by the numeral 17 as a switch formaking and breaking the circuit to distribute the current through the s'arking points of i ition plugs'18 provi ed for the various cy inders ofan internal combustion engine.

The secondary current is grounded by the screw 19 on the case 13 asshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The grounds for the primary coil 11 andthe battery 20 as shown in Fig. 5 are formed in the usual manner. Theinterrupter for the primary current bein Figures 2 and 3 in line, andadapted to be metallioally electrically connected by metallic blades 26and 27 whenever the insulating disk 28 in which the said blades aremounted is rotated to place the said blades in contact with the saidterminals. To this end the terminals are mounted preferably on the fiberpartition 29 through which the connecting bolts uniting the saidterminals with the respective ends of the mentioned coils, areconnected.

The disk 28 is constructed from any suitable insulating material,preferably as stated, fiber, and is mounted on the shaft 30 which isoperatively connected with the key barrel 31 of a suitable combinationor permutation lock. The lock shown in the drawings is operated by theusual combination key such as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2 of thedrawings and by the numeral 32.

Tt is obvious that when the key 32 is inserted in the lock and the keybarrel 31 with the shaft 30 is turned thereby, the blades 26 and 27 maybe brought in line with the terminals 22, 23, 24 and 25, respectively,with the result that the primary and secondary windings of the coil arecompleted. It is also obvious that when the lock is turned back toremove the key 32 as is usual with,

means of sliding plates 34, slots being provided in the case 13 toreceive the said plates as shown best in Figures 2 and 4 of thedrawings.

The plates 34 are guided in the operation by suitable slots 35 formed inthe face plate 33. The plates 3% are normally retracted by springs 36which are connected to pins 37 and are anchored by pins 38 to the topplate 39 of the case 13. The said plates are moved outwardly to engagethe slots in the case 13 by means of cam blades 40 which extend inopposite direction from and are rigidly secured to the shaft 30.

From the foregoing it is obvious that when a car is equipped with anignition coil constructed and arranged as herein disclosed, the drive-ror attendant on removing his car, removes the key 32 from the lock towhich it is applied. To do this he rotates the shaft 30 to a positionsimilar to that'shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, removing the plates 26and 27 from contact with the terminals 22 and 23, and 24 and 25, therebyinterrupting the circuits of the windings ofthe coil.

At the same time the blades 40 move outward the plates 34 therebylocking the case 13 to the face plate 33 with the result that tamperingwith the coil is prevented. In

Olaim.

A device of the character described comprising an ignition coilreceptacle having a top plate, an insulating partition disposed thereinand spaced from said top plate, a rotatable shaft journalled betweensaid top plate and partition and extending beyond said top plate, a faceplate for said receptacle disposed over said top plate, key-operatedmeans carried by said face plate in connection with said shaft for therotation thereof, bolts slidably disposed on said top plate for lockingengagement through the receptacle and the face plate, a cam on saidshaft for actuating said bolts, and a circuit closer carried by saidshaft between said insulating partition and the top plate.

THOMAS JAMES COWAN.

